Draw-bar for railway-cars



G. W. MGGUIRE. DRAW BAR FOR RAILWAY CARS.

Patented Sept. 30. 1890.

III III.

UNITED STATES PATENT;

GEORGE WV. MCGUIRE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

.DRAW-BAR FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,227, dated September 30, 1890.

Application filed July 9, 1890. Serial No. 358,139- (N modell) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. MCGUIRE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draw-Bars; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the draft-timber of a car and the rear end of a draw-bar embodying my invention. Fig.

2 is a plan view of a portion of the draft-timbers and a draw-bar embodying my invention, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a similar View of the draw-bar with modified form of easing or buffer-block connection with the draft-timbers. Fig. 4 is a detached view of the springfollower.

Like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur.

My invention relates to the construction of that class of spring-supported draw-bars which perform the function of both buffer and draw-bar, and has for its object to simplify and reduce the number of parts thereof, and to so strengthen the whole structure as to render it better capable of resisting the shocks and jars to which it is constantly subjected, and especially to adapt it to the strap, or generally preferred form of drawbar.

The forms of draw-bars now in mostcommon use are of either the strap or tail-bolt pattern-that is to say, the spring-support is coupled to the bar and the draftis effected either by a strap, loop, or stirrup, or by a rod or bolt attached to the rear end of the draw-bar proper. The simplest and best construction heretofore known, so far as I am aware,hasbeen substantially that of the Butler patent, No. 213,974, dated April 8, 1879, which may be briefly stated as consisting of a casing, housing, or the equivalent thereof viz., buffer heads or blocks-secured to the draft-timbers, through which casing passed hollow sleeves or followers, and between said followers and within the casing the draft and buffer spring or springs were located, said sleeves and spring being connected with the draw-bar proper by a central bolt, termed the tail-bolt. The main objections to the Butler patent, or above specified construction, are, first, that it is not adapted to strap drawbars; second, that, as in all tail-bolt drawbars, the strain is on thehead of the bolt and on bolt key or cotter, which is liable to pull through or break off, thus releasing the drawbar, and, third, in case of the breaking of the cotter or key there is apt to be a loss of the buffer-spring and other parts of the device, as well as a releasing of the draw-bar. The advantages of the Butler construction are simplicity, strength, durability, and thorough protection of the buffer and draft spring, which cannot be so compressed as to destroy its resiliency.

The present invention is therefore an improvement on the devices of the Butler patent,No. 213,974, whereby the same are adapted to use with strap draw-bars, the advantages retained, and the objectionable features avoided.

I will now proceed to describe my invention more fully, so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, A A indicate the usual draft-timbers of the car, and B the rear end of any approved form of strap draw-bar.

1 indicates a casing, which may be composed of two sections or halves 1 1 the ends of which 2 2 constitute buffer-blocks and have central orifices 3 3 for the passage of followers 4: 4, which act on the buffer and draft spring. I prefer that these buffer-blocks 2 2 should constitute the ends of a box or casing, such as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, as in such construction the spring 5 is inclosed, thoroughly protected, and not likely to be displaced or lost, and when such construction is adopted the twin sections 1 I will each be provided with one or more lateral ribs or offsets 1 let into the draft-timbers A A, and the whole casing be firmly secured by throughbolts 1. It is not, however, absolutely necessary that more than the buffer-blocks 2 2 be used, and in case the side walls constituting the casing are dispensed with the bufferblocks may be let into the draft-timbers AA at their ends 2, as indicated in Fig. 3, and the through-bolts 1 used, as before specified.

4 4 indicate the spring-followers of such di ameter as to pass freely through the'orifices 3 3 or openings in the heads of the casing or buffer-blocks 2 2, each provided with a flanged head 4:, or equivalent means, for preventing the escape of the follower, and providing a bearing for the end of the spring, and also provided with a central boss 4 for centering and securing the draft and buffer spring 5. In lieu of a central boss, there may be substituted an annular rib, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 4, to guide and guard the draft and buffer spring; but it will be evident to any mechanic that the central boss is the preferable construction. IVhere two-part casing or box 1 l" is used, the rear follower 4 may have on its outer end a flange or collar 4", to limit the inward movement of the said rear follower; but the same is not essential, as the strap may be allowed to strike directly on the rear buffer-block 2, which will arrest the inward movement of the rear follower t, and in fact where the buflfer-blocks are simply single plates with central orifices, as shown in Fig. 3, the rear collar 45 is necessarily dispensed with in order that the follower may be entered in the orifice of said buffer-block. 6 indicates the strap of a draw-bar arranged to inclose the bufier-blocks or casing with included followers and central springs, said strap secured to the rear end of draw-bar B in any suitable manner, but preferably by through'bolts 6, as indicated in the drawings.

It will be noted that in a construction of draw-bar of the character hereinbefore described the ultimate strain or force in both drawing and bufling will fall on the bufferblocks and be transmitted to the draft-timbers long before any strain which could destroy the resiliency of the draft and buffer spring has been exerted on said spring; also that in case of rupturing force being brought to bear on the devices the strap which ineloses the parts will form a box or casing to prevent loss of the spring and followers, and the devices, while perfectly efiicient as a combined spring-draft and buffer-bar, are very simple in form and composed of the least number of parts capable of obtaining the desired result, all of which are among the ad vantages of the present invention.

I am aware that the combination of bufferblocks, sleeve-followers, and an interposed buffer and draft-spring with a draw-bar and tail-bolt is old; and I am also aware that the combination of movable follower-plates, an interposed buffer and draft spring, and a draw-bar with strap acting directly on the movable follower-plates of the spring without interposed buffer-blocks is also old; and I do not herein claim the said combinations, because the first recited is not adapted to use with strap draw-bars and has the disadvantages hereinbefore recited, and because the second exerts the whole force of draft and buffing, and the consequent shocks thereof, directly on and destroys the resiliency of the buffing and draft springs; but,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a draw-bar, the combination, with fixed buffer-blocks, of spring-followers movable therein, a draft and buffer spring interposed between the followers within the fixed buffer-blocks, and a draw-bar strap which incloses the fixed buffers, followers, and spring,

substantially as and for the purposes specilied.

2. In a draw-bar, the combination, with a fixed casing having bu ffer-blocks at its ends, of spring-followers movable in the buiferblocks of the casing, a draft-spring interposed between the springfollowers and within the casing, and a draw-bar strap which incloses the casing, followers, and spring, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In a draw-bar, the combination, with fixed buffer-blocks, of springfollowers movable therein, said followers provided on their inner heads with spring guards or guides, a buffer and draft spring interposed between the followers and within the fixed bufferblocks, and a draw-bar strap which encircles the fixed buffer-blocks, followers, and spring, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 7th day of July, 1890.

GEORGE \V. MCGUIRE.

Witnesses:

tno. ll. SCHWAN, FRANK MANAK. 

